How You Can Connect With Brands For Sponsored Posts

This post contains affiliate links and was originally published on May 18th, 2017.

*Ask Rachel* ICYMI You can submit any question on any topic via the contact form on my site. My advice back to you will likely get featured on the blog in this series!

One reader asks:

For Ask Rachel, I was wondering how you got involved with companies and products for sponsored posts and ads like Walmart for your Instagram and blog posts?

Thanks so much for your question! I think as bloggers it can feel confusing when trying to connect with brands for collaborations. Below I am going to break down four ways to connect with brands for sponsored posts. At the end of the post, I share how to get a one-on-one “pick my brain” session with me for FREE!

How To Connect With Brands For Sponsored Posts:

1) Blog Networks.

Blog networks are a great place when starting out. Basically you join them and the network acts as the middleman between you and the brand. You submit pitches for their open campaigns and then get a notice if you’ve been selected. Some networks require you to have a certain number of followers or page views, and those usually pay better.

Networks will save you time when working with brands. However, you’ll ultimately make less money as they take their cut of the budget.

* A lot of bloggers I talk to set their rates comparable to what networks offer for campaigns – DON’T DO THIS! Typically, networks will take around 50% of the allotted budget for their work as the middleman. Meaning brands were actually willing to pay you double the number you’re seeing! Personally, when I first started out, I set my rates at $250 which is what most networks paid out… little did I know brands were actually willing to pay $500 (hence why it’s better to work with them directly).

Some networks I love include: Clever Girls, Social Fabric, and Pollinate. – but there are tons out there, so explore to find ones you like!

2) They Contact Me.

Have a media kit ready to send off for press inquiries at a moments notice! Also make sure it’s easy for brands to contact you through your site. I would also recommend having a contract ready to send brands to sign when moving forward with the agreement; it simply keeps things clear down the road. Be professional and punctual with your responses.

3) Referrals.

Okay, truth, I am typically the one doing the referring… Not too many bloggers are keen on this which I am super surprised about. Maybe it’s the coach/therapist in me, but I believe in making appropriate referrals when I can’t serve someone. Several companies have reached out to me for campaigns which didn’t work out for one reason or another and I offered to introduce them to fellow bloggers that might better serve them. In fact, it’s happened so often now that I’ve decided to create a little database for myself. To be added, simply click here and fill out the form (no stats are taken, just your blog/instagram, location, age, niche, etc.). If you’re a good blogger, you won’t work with brands on campaigns that don’t align. Use those moments as an opportunity to build a relationship with the PR person. Make his/her life easier by referring them to someone whose audience would better align. Not only will you get brownie points for helping them, hopefully other bloggers will keep you in mind and return the favor.

4) Pitch them.

Working directly with brands is the key to making real money as a blogger. Aside from the money, it’s also a major key in maintaining your authenticity and credibility with your audience! There are two major resources I recommend if you’re thinking about pitching brands or working with them directly: BossPitch and Slightly Savvy Summer Camp!

Summer Camp was started by a Katherine from Slightly Savvy. She’s worked in PR managing influencer campaigns for global brands before starting her own firm. She understands collaborations from both perspectives. Seriously, just read one of her posts on working with brands and you will see just how valuable her insights are! She decided to launch “Summer Camp” to share insider “fireside” chats if you will, about what PR people are really looking for from bloggers and how you as a blogger can stand out! Over the course of 5 days, she is interviewing other PR professionals to answer our questions as influencers and how we can position ourselves as the dream blogger to work with!

Next up is Bosspitch. Truth, before taking it, I never pitched a single brand. I thought I was too small to work with brands directly, and felt self conscious. I would constantly write down brands I wanted to work with, then just stare blankly at my computer screen when it came time to take action.

Through BossPitch, I realized I was leaving money on the table! With a newfound confidence, I increased my rates. Based on the difference (of my increased rates), the course more than paid for itself after just two campaigns! In other words, my rates were high enough that I didn’t “double them” right off the bat, but I was able to pay for the course in less than two campaigns based off the difference from what I did increase them to!

I continue to see the investment pay off. In fact, in just a couple of months I more than doubled my rates; which were already 4x higher than friends who had been blogging for over 4 years! I’ve also gotten over $5,000 in furniture for my new house and continue to work on some big deals. Here’s a little video testimonial I put together for the course (sorry in advance for my frazzled look and rough edits, I was working on a deadline and kept getting really excited about the course that I would go on long tangents ?):

This session can be used to talk about pitching, or ANYTHING blog/business related! Whether you want to talk about pitching, a blog audit, graphic design, content strategy, social media strategy, or a little bit of everything! That’s right, a $275 value, 60 minute “pick my brain” session for FREE.

If you still want more info on BossPitch, visit this post and if you scroll down to the bottom there is a video Q&A with some past students about there experience!

I’ve linked the my exact dress from Heartloom (first) as well as some cheaper options(affiliate links):

Related

I'm Rachel, the founder of The Confused Millennial, a lifestyle blog sharing personal experience and advice to help other confused millennials navigate this whole "#adulting" thing on topics like careers, entrepreneurship, finance, the home, relationships and more.
After earning my Master's Degree in Counseling, and landing my "dream job" I found myself feeling completely miserable with no work-life balance. I rectified the situation by getting in touch with my passions and started coaching millennials to create their own blog or business that they could turn into a fulfilling and sustainable career. My expertise has been seen on Forbes as a contributing writer, Fast Company, Brit + Co, Dailyworth, and more. Learn more about working together on turning your blog into a business here.

Great tips, Rachel! It can be scary for a new blogger to take the leap into working with brands. I love your practice of referring brands to other bloggers if you aren’t the right fit for them. That’s a great idea!

For sure! I waited 6 months before I would let myself think about it because i wanted a strong foundation and not to get distracted. And thank you! I wish referrals would become more of an industry standard instead of all those cloak and dagger, close to the chest shenanigans haha

Sooo interesting! Do you know any blog networks that have international (or European) opportunities? I think I’m not ready yet to be working with brands (views, readers, amount of blog posts etc), but I’m interested in knowing all about it.

Not off of the top of my head – but I do know for sure they exist! I was in one when I firsssttttt started blogging that was just for products (not compensation – which I don’t recommend) that had US and EU opportunities! So I am sure there are paid ones out there too!

Anmaria Djong

May 18, 2017 at 10:06 am

Wow..I didn’t know there is such course, it seems like really great course from what you describe. I wish the price could be a little cheaper, but I do consider it once I save up for it. Thanks for sharing this.

Glad it was helpful! Definitely don’t rely on networks though! They could shut down, not pay you, and a bunch of other horror stories I’ve heard! Pitching the brands yourself is really how you take control of your income!

Jeni

May 18, 2017 at 12:12 pm

This is interesting. I’m a new food blogger and interested in trying out a few sponsored posts, but I haven’t reached out to any brands yet. I love your point about not under selling yourself though. I think as women and beginners we are way too apt to do that!

I think working with brands can be super confusing especially for a newbie blogger. Your point about charing more than you make with a blogging network is a GREAT tip. Now that you said it it seems SO obvious but I never thought about the cut a network takes before. Thanks for all the valuable blogging info <3

You’re welcome! Let me know if you have any questions about BossPitch! It really is a game changer for taking control of your future when working with brands!

Larissa Joassaint

May 18, 2017 at 1:46 pm

I love that you refer brands to other bloggers if they don’t happen to align with your vision. Writing a sponsored post has crossed my minds so many times, but I’m at that self-conscious stage, so I’m attempting to grow my blog a bit before I pitch to my first brand. Thanks for sharing your tips! I’m definitely going to have to keep them in mind 🙂

You must be in my brain hahah. Yesterday, while I was driving to one of the workshops for my organization (which is the org that my blog was built around), I was literally thinking that I needed to start working with sponsors for both events and my blog… and you came to mind… and then I see this. Thank you so much!

Haha! No way!! I would definitely check out BossPitch too then! It breaks it down in so much detail when dealing with brands, and there’s a fb group for more personalized info! I’ll be getting to your email hopefully later today or by Monday btw!

No problem! If you are looking to see where your blog can take you though, do not rely solely on networks! It’s WAY hit or miss and will hold you down! I would highly recommend checking out BossPitch if you’re trying to turn your blog into your business and travel, get products, furniture, etc. Networks are SUPER limiting on the possibilities!

Maggie

May 18, 2017 at 5:30 pm

This information is amazing, I am going to have to save this for future use!

Ola Broom

May 18, 2017 at 5:36 pm

Thank you for this post. I know that I should be pitching more, but like you, I think I’m just too small. I can say that my very first sponsored post came as a result of a referral from a blogger who remembered me asking her about it. She actually reached out to me! I was so moved by that, as many people would not have done that. Should I land more sponsored posts, I will be sure to pay it forward.

That’s so awesome to hear! I haven’t heard of any bloggers referring to others yet! And girl, if you are stuck in that “small” mindset check out BossPitch! For real, it’ll get you so motivated and pumped and ready to tackle the world!

I did not even start pitching to brands until the beginning of this year, and it has been so amazing! I’ve grown and learned so much from it! It’s definitely worth it and gets way easier with practice and once you figure out what works! 😉

There really is!! That’s why I liked taking BossPitch (a) I’ve known Erica for a long time and she’s a Wharton Grad who worked in PR, (b) she breaks it down in such an easy to understand digestable way, (c) the community in the fb group really helps you think things through and gives great suggestions! — wayyy better than trying to figure it out on my own with contradictory info on line that I dk if i can even trust!

These are all such helpful tips butttt IMO one-on-ones will always be the most helpful! 🙂 Also, with referrals do you ask the other bloggers if they mind being contacted first or just go ahead and do the referral?

So many great tips and this is something that I’ve been looking into more lately but just didn’t know where to start. Now I feel much more confident in how I should start connecting with brands 🙂 I do have one question though, when is a good time to start connecting with brands for sponsored posts? I’m still somewhat new to blogging so I just don’t know when I should start trying to work with brands!

I think it’s generally up to you! I knew myself pretty well (read: get hyperfocused, crazy, type-a, and lose my passion at times) – so forced myself to wait 6 months from launch. It was SUPER hard because I really wanted to jump out the gate, but I resisted. The general thing I’ve heard is 1k across everything (1k fb, 1k twitter, 1k pinterest, 1k monthly pageviews, etc.) again, it’s just a general rule of thumb, but you can do it with less!

I’ve been a few times actually! you are doing great! I would totally recommend checking out BossPitch! It will really help you get into the right practices out the gate and give you a community to ask questions to!

Alissa Carpenter

May 18, 2017 at 8:15 pm

I loved your testimonial and your honesty about underselling yourself. I’m so there with you and it’s so hard as a newer blogger to gain the confidence to get paid what you’re worth. Congrats on all of your success!!

This is super helpful! Definitely bookmarking this for later – and will definitely think about taking that course. I was thinking about taking Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing though – would you suggest it or know anything about it?

I’ve heard of it! Personally I am super skeptical on 99% of courses. And I don’t actually know the people who put that together, but see it pushed by a lot of affiliates. When BossPitch launched the first time I immediately signed up because I’m friends with Erica and know how much she knows (she graduated from Wharton and studied this for heaven sake) – I really only buy from people I know now since I’ve had bad experiences/investments from others pushing me or from peer pressure – For me, I don’t like affiliate marketing (I know it can be super lucrative but why am I going to build my business around someone else’s which could either a) suck (thereby ruining my rep) or b) shut down (thereby closing my revenue stream)). I prefer to take control of my future and income by creating my own revenue streams through pitching (again, brands could shut down but there are so many more and your income is based off your efforts) and coaching!

And that’s the thing – I see a ton of people promoting it and saying how it’s helped them, but I can’t find anything more than that. I get the person who made it has to make money off it, but maybe offer a better description about your program other than “It helped this blogger make $xxxxx more dollars this month in affiliate sales!”. That doesn’t help me at all to get an idea of if it’s worth anything to me. I’ll definitely check out this course then – especially if you know Erica and know she’s the real deal! Pitching really seems like the way to go – that way I can pursue brands I like and use rather than try and find stuff through multiple networks. Thanks for the help Rachel!

Haha she is! She’s one of my closet friends through blogging (I seriously talk to her more than I talk to my own family & friends combined haha)! Let me know if you have any more questions about it! Hope to see ya in a 1-1 ?

I actually signed up last night haha. I caught the replay of Erica’s BrandOut, and just decided to go for it. Glad I did too – it won’t be this price ever again! So thank you (and thank you Erica if you’re reading this), for suggesting the course and providing a ton of info about it and what exactly it will help me do. I’m SUPER excited!

Yay! I saw! I’ll be sending out all the prep details for our 1-1 in the next couple of weeks! Right now, just start a running list of questions in the notes section of your phone or something, as they come up, I find this helps a lot (people’s minds have a tendency to go blank when filling out the questionnaire or during the session, so better to start getting organized asap)! looking forward to it!

Kim

May 18, 2017 at 10:50 pm

This is so helpful. The blogging community in Dubai is still fairly new so a lot of brands don’t really know what to do with us yet but I’m determined to get in on the ground floor!

Oh nice!!! Then definitely check out BossPitch!! Erica teaches you a lot about how to educate brands when pitching them (since influencer marketing is so new across the globe, I also spend a lot of time teaching brands about how we can work together and the power of me!)

Elizabeth Johnson

May 18, 2017 at 11:02 pm

This is a really great post! I have been wanting to do that course but the timing is off. I really feel empowered after reading this. You have a way with words! 🙂 Thank for this information!

Awe thank you!! I really hope you decide to take the course! I know we were talking about it and about a session with me, so this is going to be the cheapest way to get it all in one!

Elizabeth Johnson

May 20, 2017 at 5:44 pm

Yes, I’ve been talking about it with my husband and seeing if the finances line up. I know it would all be invaluable information and I need to just do it. Hopefully I can do it!

Elizabeth Johnson

May 20, 2017 at 6:19 pm

So I was telling my husband about the course and the one on one with you and he was looking at the course and all of a sudden shows me that I’m enrolled in it. I of course started crying. Haha ? so I am taking the plunge and actually buying my first course. I am excited to be pushing forward!

BossPitch totally changed the way I approach brands and how I monetize my blog. It’s been so empowering to take complete control of my blog and monetization strategies and not rely on what campaigns are available through SoFab!

These are great tips! It took me so long to feel comfortable pitching to brands, and sometimes I still feel weird. But I do know that I’ll get comfortable and getting comfortable means doing something I need to do. I like brand networks but working with brands directly usually equals a higher payout.

This is a great post and I really appreciate those tips! I do plan on taking Erica’s course eventually, but I can’t right now. Hubby has one more semester to pay for and then we will be back on our feet! 😀

Caroline

Thank you for sharing this! I have recently started drafting letters to reach out to some brands I would like to work with, but I always stop myself before I hit send. Mostly for the same reasons you shared. I just get in my head to much!! This has been super helpful to give me the push to just reach out, the most that could happen is that they say “no”. Thank you for the encouragement and tips!!

This is such great information. I’ve been pitching to brands since the start of the year (it was one of my goals for my blog) and I’ve gotten quiet a few that way but I definitely want to learn how to reach out even more. I had no idea blogging networks were even a thing so i’ll be looking into that asap. Thank you for sharing.

Nathalie

E breaks this down in BossPitch with a great template!! – but the exact details of mine I usually only share with clients as it’s super detailed/laid out in a certain way; with that said, I would say make sure you have the basics: pageviews, UMVs and demographics, social stats, etc.

andreajesus10

May 19, 2017 at 4:27 pm

and be you while you’re doing it – if you’re a Christian and it’s Victoria’s Secret…… 🙂

Jessica Devlin

May 19, 2017 at 4:40 pm

the hardest thing for me about brands is knowing when you have enough views to even approach a brand.

I think it truly depends on your engagement, the brand, what you’re offering/looking for – but with that said a general rule of thumb I hear a lot of people use is 1k across all platforms (1k followers on social, 1k views on blog) — personally I waited until I was 6 months old on the blog before I started (just because I wanted to lay a strong foundation and not get $$$ obsessed). Let me know if you have any more questions!

Jessica Devlin

May 19, 2017 at 7:37 pm

Thank so for answering Rachel! Do you mean 1k views a day, a week or a month?

Theresa Bailey

This course sounds amazing!!
Outside of networks I’ve worked with brands that have contacted me & I have worked with hotels & resorts that I have contacted, but for some reason contacting brands myself scares me.
Unfortunately, I just spent my allotted blog money for May & June for something I really needed done or I would totally jump on this wonderful opportunity! Is it only offered once a year? Is there a way to be put on a list for the next time it is available?
Thank you for sharing!! <3

Awe man! I know she will be relaunching again, but she told me she will be increasing the price on next launch! My guess is another 4-6 months! And I’ll touch base with her and get the link for the waitlist!

Jade Doolittle

May 19, 2017 at 8:09 pm

Thanks so much for sharing! I’ve been trying for so long to figure this out on my own, its awesome to have advice like this! This was super helpful!

Happy it was helpful Jade!! If you’ve been struggling, I highly recommend BossPitch! She breaks it down so seamlessly and gives you step by step processes on how to do things and templates! I really recommend checking it out if you want to uplevel your blog!

Sondra Barker

May 19, 2017 at 9:56 pm

These were amazing tips. I think making sure you really get your pitch across is super important.

Gosh, I always feel super intimidated by the idea of pitching brands, and every time I get a positive response, I am stunned! I don’t know why, but I find that bloggers always undervalue themselves! There was some great advice packed in there; I might just have to look into the BossPitch course. I’ve heard several people talk about how much it’s helped them.
xo, G
theswirlblog.com

Haha! isn’t it the best feeling? They really do! It really is helpful and it’s SO nice to have a group of people to speak openly and honestly with after the course when pitching! Since you guys are all on the same page, it is super encouraging too! Hope you do it and I can finallyyy meet you in a 1-1!

I’d definitely recommend it! 😉 If you have any Q’s on it, I’m sure Rachel is a FABULOUS resource to ask since she’s just a baller, but you’re also more than welcome to reach out to me directly with questions, too! My email is [email protected]. So feel free to get Rachel’s and my thoughts on it for you specifically if you’re on the fence.

Personally, I waited until I crossed the 6 month mark because I wanted to focus on building a foundational relationship with my audience rather than getting paid — but a general rule of thumb is 1k across everything (1k on all social, and 1k pageviews per month) – but you can really start whenever! It just depends on what your pitching for!

Jessica Rose

May 20, 2017 at 9:14 am

Thank you!! Just hit 500 on FB and Pinterest! And growing on Insta!! 🙂

Kate Minor

Definitely consider bosspitch then!! Not only do you get the course, I think the fast acting bonuses are still up too, and you get a session with me (in a blog coach in case it’s your first time around here ?)

Do it!! Next time she relaunched the price is going up! And you still can get the early bird price and bonuses rn I think! Even if you miss her bonuses everyone who buys through my link gets a sales free 60 minute strategy session with me!

I love clever girls. I have thought of reaching out to brands directly because I feel like I do a better job of displaying my value than a form on a website. I didn’t think about the fact that they are taking a cut by being the middle man. Kind of a duh moment lol

That one is my favorite! And yeah, when I realized that too, I was like, “oh duh” haha! let me know if you have any questions about BossPitch! It really helps to jump in with both feet on pitching brands, otherwise I find people drag their feet and get discouraged!

Girl, I need to find out who you pitched for furniture. I am having zero luck in that department haha. Every brand I reach out to, they offer me like $15 off an item lol. Pitching brands is really hard – definitely not easy as pie!

This is great info! I struggle with landing gigs that align with my blog, and I’m insanely picky, but I think pitching might offer better results for me. It’s scary, at first though! I just need to bite the bullet!

Tuyet

Ellie Chan

May 21, 2017 at 1:03 pm

This is the post I needed to read. I’ve had my blog for 2 years and it has never earned me a cent. I have a miniscule following and I’m nervous about approaching brands as I am afraid they’d just laugh in my face. I will have to check out some of those blogger networks and see what I can find.

Do it! I just checked out your site and social stats, and you should definitely be monetizing!

Shani Ogden

May 21, 2017 at 7:19 pm

I’ve been trying to get involved with networks, but I’ve never been selected to participate yet. I’ve actually had better luck pitching directly to companies, but still need to work on getting paid rather than trade.

vriley85

Ugh, I’m so mad, I wish I would’ve seen your post earlier. I signed up for Boss Pitch on Friday night. I’m so excited to take the class and can’t wait to learn. I’ve had little to no luck with networks so I’ve been pitching to brands.

I’m so stinking PROUD of you, Rach. You are literally the perfect example of someone doing everything exactly as they should and reaping the rewards accordingly! You should be an inspiration to everyone considering BossPitch. You’re the real deal!

I loved BossPitch! Such a helpful course. I totally need to get refocused and start pitching myself again.

Sami Mast

November 9, 2017 at 4:39 pm

These are awesome tips!! I love working with brands, but definitely feel like I’m not working with enough of them (and definitely not for enough money!) I really want to sign up for Boss Pitch, but I also have to get the funds for that too lol.

I really want to sign up and do Boss Pitch, but I just don’t think I’m at a good place with my blog to sign up (plus money is a bit tight). I’m hoping at this time next year, I can take this course (and I really hope Erica offers it again!!)

Elizabeth Johnson

November 9, 2017 at 5:52 pm

These are really great ideas! I am going to keep in mind the referrals. I have not gotten a paid gig yet but we gotta share the love!! 🙂

Haha okay! Seriously there is no rush! I had a hosting issue and like half my emails were going to spam so I just wanted to touch base and make sure you saw it and didn’t think I forgot!

Larissa Joassaint

November 9, 2017 at 11:31 pm

I’m currently in the process of thinking about working with brands. It’s definitely an overwhelming feeling to think about if brands would want to work with you. But I think once I take that first step, it will be easier to take the next. I also love how you refer other bloggers when you aren’t able to help out the brand with their specific request. I think that’s pretty cool!

This course can totally help with that! Since pitching yourself directly to brands or via a network is a similar process! I started landing SO many more in networks after taking it and actually outgrew them really quickly because how much they typically underpay!

Pitching to brands is a great way to get your business name out there. I like to do this every once in a while.

About Me

Hi there! I'm Rachel, the founder of #TCMillennial. I am a multi-passionate millennial who loves bringing others together to figure out this whole "adult" thing. On the blog, you'll find all things #adulting like: life advice, career & business tips, entertainment, and so much more! If you want to write a guest post or request a topic, get in touch!